Best Mystery/Detective Escape Rooms in Chicago, Illinois
1
The Escape Game Chicago
Address: 42 E Ontario St, Chicago, IL 60611
The Escape Game Chicago, located in the heart of downtown Chicago, Illinois, offers an immersive collection of expertly designed escape rooms featuring diverse themes and challenging puzzles. Their well-maintained facility showcases detailed room designs with creative storylines ranging from heists and prison breaks to gold rush adventures. The venue accommodates both private and shared experiences, with friendly game masters providing just the right amount of guidance while maintaining the perfect balance of challenge and entertainment for groups of all skill levels.
What People Are Saying
Difficulty Level: Many reviews mention the challenges and difficulty of the escape rooms, with some describing them as "challenging yet fair", "difficult but well worth it", and "the perfect amount of difficulty". However, other reviews mention the puzzles being not too hard and easily solvable, and some needed hints.
Themes: Reviews mention several themes including "special ops", "mystery market", "gold rush", "prison break", and "the heist".
Puzzles: The reviews indicate that the puzzles involve a mix of logic, searching, and problem-solving. Some puzzles mentioned specifically include codes and sequences.
Mystery/Detective: Several reviews refer to the games as "mysteries" and involve solving puzzles to "escape", strongly suggesting a mystery or detective theme.
Prison Break: The "Prison Break" theme is explicitly mentioned in multiple reviews.
Heist: The "Heist" theme is explicitly mentioned in multiple reviews, involving stealing valuable items.
Kid-friendly: Several reviews mention family participation and kid-friendly experiences. One review specifically states that it is "kid-friendly".
Party: Multiple reviews explicitly mention birthday parties and family celebrations taking place at the escape room.
Large Groups: Reviews describe experiences with large groups, including parties of 8, 9, and 10 people, suggesting the suitability of the escape rooms for large groups. However, several reviews also mention concerns about too many people in the room.
Discounts: Reviews mention discounts for repeat customers or for booking multiple games on the same day. One review mentions a 40% discount for doing two games in a row.
Price: Some reviews describe the price as "acceptable" and "great", while others find it on the higher end or "a little dear".
Not Noted
Scare Factor: No reviews mention scary or horror themes. One review even specifically states that the room was not terrifying.
Zombie: There is no mention of a zombie theme in any of the reviews.
Tomb: No reviews mention an Egyptian theme.
Parking: One review mentions that parking is difficult.
2
Fox In A Box Escape Room Chicago
Address: 47 W Polk St suite l5 basement, Chicago, IL 60605
Fox In A Box Escape Room Chicago, located in the heart of Chicago, Illinois, offers an immersive collection of thoughtfully designed escape rooms that challenge players with clever puzzles and engaging storylines. The venue features multiple themed rooms including a spine-tingling Zodiac room, an intense Prison Break experience, and an action-packed Bank Heist scenario, each crafted with meticulous attention to detail and varying difficulty levels. The facility stands out for its exceptional game masters who provide the perfect balance of guidance and autonomy, while adding personal touches like custom drawings for participants to commemorate their escape adventures.
What People Are Saying
Difficulty Level: Many reviews mention the rooms as challenging, but still fun and solvable with some hints from the game masters.
Themes: The reviews mention themes such as Zodiac Killer, Prison Break, Bank Heist, and The Bunker.
Puzzles: The reviews suggest a mix of puzzle types including logic, searching, and some puzzles incorporating codes or ciphers.
Scare Factor: Several reviews describe rooms as creepy or spooky, particularly the Zodiac room, but not overtly scary or horror-themed like a haunted house.
Mystery/Detective: The Zodiac Killer and other mystery-themed rooms are mentioned in the reviews, suggesting a mystery or detective theme is present.
Prison Break: The reviews clearly mention a prison break theme among the escape rooms offered.
Heist: The reviews frequently mention heist themes, including the Bank Heist room, indicating this theme is present.
Kid-friendly: Reviews mention family participation and game masters adapting to children's involvement, suggesting some kid-friendly aspects.
Party: One review explicitly mentions hosting a birthday party, indicating the venue accommodates such events.
Large Groups: Multiple reviews describe groups of 5 or more participating without issue, suggesting suitability for large groups.
Discounts: One review mentions a discount for booking multiple rooms on the same day.
Not Noted
Zombie: There is no mention of a zombie theme in the provided reviews.
Tomb: There is no mention of an Egyptian theme in the provided reviews.
Price: Some reviews mention the price being higher than other escape rooms, while others find it reasonably priced, leading to mixed opinions on affordability.
Parking: The reviews do not provide information about parking availability at this location.
3
The Great Escape Room Chicago
Address: 160 E Grand Ave #400, Chicago, IL 60611
The Great Escape Room Chicago, located in the heart of Chicago, Illinois, offers an immersive collection of themed puzzle rooms ranging from haunted hotels to historical adventures. This entertainment venue features multiple challenging rooms with varying difficulty levels, where groups can work together solving intricate puzzles and decoding clues while racing against the clock. The facility stands out for its well-designed spaces and helpful staff who provide just the right amount of guidance to keep the experience both challenging and enjoyable for everyone from beginners to experienced escape room enthusiasts.
What People Are Saying
Difficulty Level: Reviews mention various difficulty levels, with some calling rooms "very challenging" while others found them "moderately challenging". Several reviews mention successfully escaping with time to spare, while others did not, suggesting a range of difficulty.
Themes: The reviews mention several themes, including Haunted Hotel, Mountain Top Murders, Roman Colosseum, Heist, Sherlock Holmes, Poker with the Presidents, and Infirmary. This indicates a variety of themes are available.
Puzzles: Many reviews praise the "clever puzzles", "well-designed puzzles", and "logical puzzles". The reviews suggest a mix of logic-based, search-oriented, and perhaps some physical puzzles, though this is not explicitly stated.
Scare Factor: Multiple reviews refer to rooms as "spooky" and "scary", specifically mentioning a "Haunted Hotel" room and "gory images" in "Mountain Top Murders". This suggests some rooms contain scary or horror elements.
Mystery/Detective: Reviews frequently describe the experience as a "mystery" or involve solving a "mystery", implying a detective or mystery theme in multiple rooms.
Prison Break: One review mentions a "prison guards" theme, suggesting the presence of a prison break theme in at least one room.
Heist: The reviews mention a "Heist" room, indicating the inclusion of a heist theme.
Kid-friendly: Several reviews mention bringing children and having a good time. Reviews specifically mention rooms being suitable for families and that the staff was great with kids.
Party: Multiple reviews refer to birthday parties at the escape room, indicating it hosts these events.
Large Groups: Reviews describe experiences with large groups, including bachelorette parties, work outings, and large family gatherings. The facility is mentioned as being able to accommodate several large groups.
Discounts: Reviews mention a discount for booking a second room the same day, and one review refers to discounted tickets bought on the day of their visit. This suggests there are discounts for repeat or large group visits.
Price: Many reviews refer to the pricing as "affordable", "reasonable", "great price", or "unbeatable". However, one review mentions concerns about pricing for young children, suggesting some price variation.
Not Noted
Zombie: There is no mention of a zombie theme in any of the provided reviews.
Tomb: The reviews do not mention any Egyptian themes.
Parking: Some reviews mention parking challenges or suggest using a nearby parking garage, while others do not mention parking difficulties. This suggests parking availability may vary or be limited.
4
PanIQ Escape Room Chicago (Fulton Market)
Address: 1200 W Lake St, Chicago, IL 60607
PanIQ Escape Room Chicago in Fulton Market, Illinois, offers an engaging variety of themed rooms including a mob experience, prison break challenge, and an insane asylum adventure. The venue features cleverly designed puzzles that blend both thought-based and action-based challenges, creating an immersive experience that's suitable for both newcomers and experienced escape room enthusiasts. The facility maintains a perfect balance of difficulty levels across their rooms, with helpful game masters who provide just the right amount of hints while letting teams work through the challenges at their own pace.
What People Are Saying
Difficulty Level: Many reviews mention the rooms as both challenging and fun, indicating a moderate difficulty level.
Themes: The reviews mention themes such as "The Mob", "The Prison", and "Insane Asylum", suggesting a variety of themes are available.
Puzzles: The reviews describe the puzzles as involving logic, deduction, and searching for clues, indicating a mix of puzzle types.
Mystery/Detective: Several reviews describe solving mysteries, such as "The Mob" and "Prison" escape rooms, indicating a mystery theme in many rooms.
Prison Break: Multiple reviews specifically mention a "Prison" themed escape room.
Kid-friendly: Reviews describe families and groups with children participating, suggesting the rooms are suitable for kids, though parental supervision is likely needed.
Party: Several reviews mention birthday parties being held at the escape room center.
Large Groups: Reviews mention groups of various sizes, including groups as large as thirteen, participating successfully. This implies suitability for large groups.
Price: While one review mentions the games being "a bit on the pricy side", most reviews suggest the experience is worth the cost, indicating prices are reasonably acceptable to many customers.
Parking: Several reviews mention easy and free parking, indicating that parking is readily available.
Not Noted
Scare Factor: While some rooms have intense themes like "Insane Asylum", no review explicitly mentions jump scares or other classic horror elements. The "creepy" description of the Asylum room may be subjective, but not necessarily "scary."
Heist: No review mentions heist themes like bank robbery or stealing a valuable item.
Zombie: There is no mention of a zombie theme in any of the reviews.
Tomb: No reviews mention an Egyptian theme.
Discounts: There is no mention of group discounts or special event pricing in the reviews.
5
PanIQ Escape Room Chicago (Logan Square)
Address: 3061 W Logan Blvd, Chicago, IL 60647
PanIQ Escape Room Chicago (Logan Square) in Chicago, Illinois, offers an immersive collection of themed rooms ranging from wizard trials to spy missions in their well-maintained facility. The venue features multiple difficulty levels with carefully crafted puzzles that encourage teamwork and critical thinking, while professional game masters provide just the right amount of guidance when needed. The establishment's rooms incorporate a mix of technological elements and traditional puzzles, housed within an historic building that adds extra character to experiences like their bank heist scenario set in an actual vintage vault.
What People Are Saying
Difficulty Level: Reviews mention various difficulty levels, with some describing rooms as challenging and others as a good mix of difficulty.
Themes: The reviews reveal themes such as Wizard Trials, Red Wire (described as well-designed and challenging), Medieval Madness, Spy, and Prison Break.
Puzzles: The puzzle types are diverse, incorporating logic, technology, memory, riddles, and collaborative elements, indicating a mix of puzzle styles.
Mystery/Detective: While not explicitly stated as a primary theme, several reviews suggest mystery elements within the puzzles and storylines.
Prison Break: At least one review explicitly mentions a "Prison Break" themed escape room.
Heist: The "Red Wire" room is described as having a heist-like setting within an old bank, including an original vault.
Kid-friendly: Reviews mention bringing children, including a 14 and 9 year old having fun in the Prison Break room, indicating kid-friendly options are available.
Party: Multiple reviews explicitly mention birthday parties being held at the escape room center.
Large Groups: Reviews describe groups of various sizes participating, including groups of 8 and even a group of 14 teenagers.
Parking: One review mentions difficulty in finding parking, implying parking exists but may be limited or inconvenient.
Not Noted
Scare Factor: No review mentions scary or horror themes. The overall tone suggests a focus on fun and challenge, rather than fright.
Zombie: No review mentions a zombie theme.
Tomb: No review mentions an Egyptian theme.
Discounts: One review mentions a discount being offered to play another room, suggesting the possibility of discounts for larger groups or repeat visits, but no explicit mention of this.
Price: One review mentions the price being an issue, while others suggest it is worth the cost despite being expensive, indicating that pricing is a point of contention among customers.
6
Escape Artistry Escape Rooms
Address: 1342 N Milwaukee Ave Second Floor, Chicago, IL 60622
Escape Artistry Escape Rooms in Chicago, Illinois, offers a diverse collection of themed rooms including a pirate adventure, detective mystery, and a unique grandmother's spy scenario. The facility stands out for its blend of creative storytelling and challenging puzzles that encourage teamwork, with rooms designed to accommodate both intimate couples and larger groups of up to eight people. The venue features helpful game masters who maintain the immersive atmosphere while providing just the right amount of hints, and groups can commemorate their escape experience with themed photo opportunities afterward.
What People Are Saying
Difficulty Level: Reviews mention various challenge levels, from 'just the right amount of challenge' to 'quite challenging', indicating varying difficulty levels across different rooms.
Themes: The reviews mention themes such as pirates, dollhouses, detectives, a classroom, and a grandmother's house with a spy theme.
Puzzles: The reviews suggest a mix of puzzle types, including logic-based, search-oriented, and those involving opening locks. Specific puzzle types are not consistently detailed.
Mystery/Detective: Several reviews refer to detective or mystery themes, with mentions of a 'detective room' and the 'Detective vs Dillinger' room.
Kid-friendly: Reviews indicate that the escape rooms are appropriate for kids; one review specifically mentions a 10-year-old participating and enjoying the experience.
Party: One review explicitly mentions booking a room for a child's birthday party, indicating that the venue hosts parties.
Large Groups: Reviews mention groups of 8 successfully completing rooms, and others describe the rooms as suitable for larger groups.
Parking: Reviews mention parking but do not provide details about parking availability, accessibility or cost.
Not Noted
Scare Factor: One review mentions a room being 'kinda scary', but most reviews describe the experience as fun and exciting, without explicitly mentioning consistent horror elements.
Prison Break: Reviews do not mention any prison break themes.
Heist: Reviews do not describe any heist themes.
Zombie: Reviews make no mention of a zombie theme.
Tomb: No Egyptian themes are mentioned in the reviews.
Discounts: The reviews do not contain information about group discounts or special event pricing.
Price: The reviews do not provide sufficient information to determine if the prices are generally considered affordable.
7
Mobile Adventure Company
Address: 4838 W Patterson Ave #1, Chicago, IL 60641
Mobile Adventure Company in Chicago, Illinois, offers a unique mobile entertainment experience bringing escape rooms, game shows, and axe throwing directly to customers' locations. Their themed escape room trailer features detailed decorations, professional sound and lighting effects, and engaging puzzles suitable for all ages from kids to adults. The company's experienced hosts receive consistent praise for their professionalism, enthusiasm, and ability to create an entertaining atmosphere while ensuring everyone has a memorable time at corporate events, birthday parties, and community gatherings.
What People Are Saying
Themes: Multiple themes are present in the reviews, including ocean, mystery, game shows, racing, and axe throwing.
Puzzles: The reviews suggest a variety of puzzle types, including logic-based, search-oriented, and physical challenges.
Mystery/Detective: Some reviews mention mystery themes, such as the "Saving Oceanika" escape room.
Kid-friendly: Several reviews highlight the suitability of the escape rooms for children and families, particularly for birthday parties.
Party: Many reviews describe using the escape rooms for birthday parties, indicating that the venue hosts such events.
Large Groups: The reviews mention events with over 50 participants and multiple groups of varying sizes.
Parking: Reviews mention on-site parking and arrangements for parking permits.
Not Noted
Difficulty Level: The reviews mention various difficulty levels, with some indicating that the escape rooms were challenging enough to require teamwork and hints, while others were suitable for children and families.
Scare Factor: The reviews do not mention any scary or horror themes.
Prison Break: No reviews mention a prison break theme.
Heist: No reviews mention heist themes.
Zombie: No reviews mention a zombie theme.
Tomb: No reviews mention an Egyptian theme.
Discounts: The reviews do not provide information on discounts for larger groups or special events.
Price: While the reviews praise the company highly, they do not explicitly address the affordability of prices.